Individuals have rights

The NY Times reports that some states are considering measures that would preserve individual rights to make health care decisions. It writes:

Approval of the measures, the lawmakers suggest, would set off a legal battle over the rights of states versus the reach of federal power ...

The national print edition had this story on the front page with the headline, "Health Care Overhaul Stirs States' Rights Claims".

No, there are no states' rights claims. The quoted Republicans were advocating individual rights, not states's rights.

“All I’m trying to do is protect the individual’s right to make health care decisions,” said State Representative Tom Emmer, a Republican. “I just don’t want the government getting between my decisions with my doctors.”

The term "states' rights" is a liberal smear term. Conservatives do not advocate states' rights. Under the conservative view, individuals have rights and states have powers.